Dang - History

Before Independence several wars were fought between the five tribal kings of Dang and the British. According to the history of Dang, the biggest ever war took place at Lashkaria Amba, in which kings of all five erstwhile states got together to protect Dang from British rule. The British were beaten and decided to discontinue war and resorted to compromise.As per historic compromise treaty was signed in 1842 according to which the Britishers were allowed to use the forests and their natural products against which they had to pay certain amount around 3,000 silver coins to the five kings of the then monarchy. However, currently the kings are offered monthly political pension by the Government of India, which is the main source of their income. This payment is continued even though all privy purses for the Princely states of India was stopped in 1970 since the agreement was between then monarchy of Dangs and the British.Every year during the financial end the Kings gather in Ahwa for a traditional royal ceremony in their richly decorated buggies, bands with tribal dancers to receive the payment as per the agreement of 1842. In ancient Indian Scriptures Dang is known as Dand Aranyaka, meaning Bamboo Forest.